Folding table



T. G. SPENCER. FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED nor. 6. m9.

1 ,33 1,5 38. Patented Feb. 24 1920.

28H TH LE I 9 v 1 9 EE SJSFJEETI j lNVENTOR Fla/mas 6x52067209? Z? 6 J L'SATTORNEY T. G. SPENCER.

FOLDI NG TABLE. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.'6. I919.

Patented Feb. 24,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- 6 w 1 j M 6i 1 g. fig, J 7 F b 5 N 1 x 5 7 N b S w, J

Q n3 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS G. SPENCER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOLLISTER LUMBER COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FOLDING TABLE.

Application filed October 6. 1919.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, THOMAS G. SPENCER, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to furniture, and more particularly, to such articles as folding tables, though it is applicable to any element, such as a table top that is foldable and is held in a given position by a folding brace and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive and convenient construction of the bracing mechanism whereby the table top, or other element, may 'be securely held in its operative position but readily folded into a compact and secure inoperative position. To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is aside view of a folding table in operative position .and constructed in accordance with, and illustrating one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the table in folded position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom viewof tended for use Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail section of a fragment of the brace. and achacent portions of the table top showing a means for holding it'in folded position,

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the table folded;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section through the brace and its connections, showin" it in operative position;

Fig. 7 is a similar view illustrative of the manner of releasing th brace from its locking abutments and Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sec-ti :1 showing the manner in which the brace cooperates with its locking abutments.

bimilar reference characters in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the present instance I have illustrated the table ex- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Serial No. 328.755.

my invention as applied to a table of a familiar type embodying atop 1 and two pairs of legs 2 and 3, the legs of each pair being connected together by a rail 4; and hinged to the table top at 5 so that the pairs of legs fold toward each other flat against the under side of the table top from the position of Figs. 1 and 3 to that of Figs. 2 and 5. This invention has reference to the mode of bracing these legs in their operative position and as the structure is the same with respect to both pairs. of legs a description of one will suffice for both.

The brace that I prefer to employ is indicated at 6 and may consist of a metal rod bent into a yoke shape with one of its connecting portions hinged to the rail 4 at 7, so that as the table legs are folded or extended with reference to the top 1 the other connecting portion 8 will traverse the iuider side of the topiwith a substantially longitudinal movement. Secured to the under side of the top 1 is a fixed abutment 9 and a movable abutment 10. The former is of a cam shaped contour on its outer side, as indicated at 11, the cam leading to a concave engaging shoulder 12.

The other and movable abutment comprises a spring finger 13 having a thin portion 14 secured beneath a strap 15 on the under side of the top 1 and its enlarged portion provided with a finger piece 16, so that it may be manually flexed outwardly and drawn away from its normal position against the face of the top. Both abutments are preferably made of wood and added resiliency is given to the spring finger 13 of the movable abutment by a metal leaf spring 17 having a closely superposed relationship and also secured beneath the strap 15. The engaging shoulder 18 on the movable abutment is also concaved and is spaced from its companion abutting shoulder 12 just sufiiciently to admit of the engagement of the connecting portion 8 of the brace 6 with both at the same time. so that said connecting portion may be held closely between the two.

In operation, the legs being in the folded position Figs. 2 and 5, when they are swung to extended position the brace 6 that has been lying substantially fiat against the under side of the top with its connecting por tion 8 in the recess formed by the finger portion 16 of the spring finger 13, is drawn along toward the fixed abutment 9 displac ing the spring finger 13, asshown in Fig. 7. It rides over the cam surface 11 against which it is held by the resiliency of the finger .until halted by engagement with the shoulder 18 of the movable abutment which thus defines the limit of extension of the legs The movable abutment and its spring finger then snap back into normal position against the top 1, as shown in Fig. 6, which brings the connecting portion 8 of the brace also into engagement with the shoulder 12 of the fixed abutment. The brace is then held against endwise movement in both directions and the legs are securely held in place.

lVhen it desiredto fold the legs the spring finger 13 is flexed outwardly by means of the finger portion 16. There is projecting portion 19 thereon adjacent to and forming part of the abutment shoulder 18 that carries .the portion 8 of the brace out of the engaging shoulder 12 of the fixed abutment and on to the cam surface 11 of the latter, as shown in Fig.7. The legs may then be folded down against the under side of the top without further opposition, the brace retraversing the cam surface and sliding beneath the spring finger 13 back to its.

original position.

To asslstin maintaining the legs in folded position I provide a spring catch 20 on the under side of the top that has a concavity 21 adapted to automatically engage with and grip the knuckle 22 of the hinge 7 by-means folding brace connected thereto, of an ele ment to be supported having a swinging relationship with the support, and prov ded with two abutments for preventing longitug a support and a 7 dinal movement of the brace, one of said abutments comprising a spring fingermovable relatively to and operating to maintain "the brace in engagement with the other.

i 3. The combination with a support and a folding brace connected thereto, of an element to be supported having a swinging relationship with the support, and provided with two abutments for preventing longitudinal movement of the brace, one of said abutments comprising a spring finger mow.

able relatively to and operating to maintain the brace in engagement with the other, and adapted, when. actuated against its tension to dislodge the brace from theother abutment. i w

4. The combination with a support and a folding brace-connected thereto, of an element tobe supported having a swingmgre lationsh-ipwiththe support, and provided with two abutments for preventing longitu 'dinal movement of the braceone of said abutments being fixed and cam shaped to permit thebrace to ride'into locking engagement therewith and the other comprising a spring finger operating to 'maintain the brace in engagement with the first and also in engagement with the cam surface thereof. 5. The combination with a support-and a folding brace connectedthereto, of an element to be supported having a swingin relationship with the support, a fixed autment on said element for preventing 'longitu dinal movement of the brace, in one direction, a strap thereon, a movable abutment I secured beneath the strap to prevent longitudinal movement of the brace in the other direction and comprising a spring finger adapted to hold the brace in engagement withthe, first abutment and a spring also secured beneath the strap to reinforce the" resiliency of the spring'finger. I

6. The combination with an element to be supported and a support hinged thereto to fold against the same, of a' brace cooperating with the said element and hinged to the support and a spring clip on said element adapted to engage the knuckle of the brace hinge when the brace is folded and maintain the latter-in such folded position.

THOMAS e, SPENCER! 

